1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a test tube for biological analyses of organic liquids using electro-optical equipment in general, such as photometers, for example, used for sedimentation velocity (ESR) analyses and the like.
2. Background Art
Single-use test tubes are known which are made of synthetic resin and have a tubular structure, as are other types which have a substantially prismatic cavity with a rectangular cross-section, the two larger walls of which are passed through by the rays which allow the electro-optical analysis. All these test tubes do not offer available surfaces for adopting the so-called bar codes used to read data relating to the tests and to the person whose lids being analysed; the use of labels and/or symbols and manually written information is not practical, is likely to give rise to errors and requires a considerable amount of time.
3. Objects and Disclosure of the Invention
The object of the invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and provides other objects and advantages which will become obvious from a reading of the text which follows.
Basically, the test tube in questionxe2x80x94having a container body with a liquid-containing cavity defined by walls comprising zones located opposite one another and capable of being passed through by the rays of an optical analysing system, and a connecting part for filling and closingxe2x80x94according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises moreover at least one surface, which is developed so as not to interfere with said zones located opposite one another and on which-surface information which can be optically read, such as bar codes or the like, may be accommodated.
Said surface or surfaces and said container body may have, in cross-section, a form contained in a circular volume so as to be suitable for use with equipment having seats with a circular section.
According to an embodiment, the test tube may have a container body with a cavity which is substantially prismatic and has a substantially rectangular cross-section, and a cylindrical connecting part for filling, and may have at least one surface projecting from said container body. Said surface may be a portion of a cylindrical wall, also forming one of the walls of the container body. Alternatively, the said surface may be formed by a flat laminar zone projecting from the said container body. In a further alternative, the said surface is formed by a flat laminar zone developed as an extension of one of the walls of the said cavity parallel to the direction of the rays of an optical analysing system; said laminar zone may be developed symmetrically on opposite sides of the substantially prismatic cavity; the longitudinal edges of said laminar zone and an additional projection located at a distance from said edges may define a volume of the test tube contained and centred in a cylindrical housing; also the said projection may be longitudinally developed along the plane of symmetry perpendicular to said laminar zone.
According to other possible embodiments, the container body is cylindrical and has at least one surface projecting from said container body. Said surface may be formed by at least one flat laminar zone projecting from said cylindrical container body; said flat laminar zone may project tangentially from the cylindrical body or may project on opposite sides of the cylindrical body. The test tube may also comprise two flat laminar zones which are essentially parallel and spaced from one another.
Yet another test tube may comprise a container which has a substantially prismatic shape with a rectangular cross-section, and a bar code may be applied onto at least one of the walls essentially parallel to the rays of the optical analysing system.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for analyses of the type for determining the sedimentation velocity of particles in organic liquids, comprising means for receiving a plurality of test tubes and comprising optical reading means mounted on a slide designed to travel along the test tubes which are housed inside the apparatus. For use of the tests tubes described above, such an apparatus is characterized in that it comprises on said slide also means for reading data, such as a bar code, located on the carrying surface of these test tubes. The said data reading means are advantageously positioned so as to perform reading in a direction parallel to the walls of the test tube passed through by the rays of the optical analysing system. Each of the seats designed to contain the test tubes has a longitudinal opening designed to allow readingxe2x80x94by the reading meansxe2x80x94of a bar code applied onto one of the surfaces of the test tube.
In any case, the test tube according to the invention offers the possibility of using an ample flat surface for receiving bar codes and other data useful for the operations for which the test tube is used.